“So, you’ve chosen then?” asked Celica as Kyle opened his eyes to an endless white room with a paved white floor that went on for further than the eye could see as a completely white sky shone down upon them.
Kyle nodded “Where’s Soren?” he asked.
“Your friend is already with the Ancients, the classification is a private event that only guide and you can be present.” Celica explained as she stepped towards him “Now let me continue the damn introduction kid, there’s a way these things are done.” she exclaimed with a straight face while slapping him on the shoulder.
Kyle rolled his eyes “Sure, go on.”
Celica sighed and took a step back “Then let us start your sub-class acquisition, to see whether you are capable of wielding the power of a SpellBlade.”
“Alright, what do I do?” asked Kyle anxiously.
“Slow down, you cannot rush this.” replied Celica with a raised brow “First summon your weapon, if you do not have one then one will be given to you.”
“I have one.” Stated Kyle as he raised his right hand aside and willed Frostfire to flow out from his palm and take shape, momentarily later [{Kōritsuku}] his sword formed as the Frostfire dissipated. Kyle looked down at the sword’s blade, at the characters carved into it that he still couldn’t read “It only makes sense for this to be it.”.
Celica’s expression darkened at the sword’s appearance “Kyle, you know what that is…do you?”
“I can garner a guess or two, yet it doesn’t feel like it is.” answered Kyle as he raised the sword towards her “What is it really?”
Celica glared down at the blade “I’ve only seen it once before, a blade my grand grandfather could bring forth yet not entirely control. That weapon is ancestral bound, not forged from fire or out of metal but from pure Spirit and out of actual souls. That weapon was it’s before it became what it is now.”
Kyle smirked “I knew it, so what are these characters on it’s blade? The sword’s name?”
Celica shook her head “No It’s name isn’t inscribed there, which by the way translates to ‘To Freeze’. What is written on the blade is the original owner’s name.”
“It’s name…” Kyle repeated as he stared down at the strange characters “What is written here then?”
“I don’t know, that language isn’t one I’ve ever seen. Asking Ymir or the Ancients would probably result in being more fruitful.” Celica admitted with a shrug “Are you sure you want that thing to be your weapon? It’s seen a lot, more than you can imagine and may be difficult to tame.”
“Tame?” asked Kyle sceptically as he looked up at her.
“That blade is nothing ordinary kid, it’s made out of lives that were forged by raw emotion. So, do you think you can tame it?” Celica explained before asking.
Kyle gave the sword a swing “Why not? It will suit it’s purpose perfectly.”
“Then let’s continue.” said Celica as she raised her hand towards him and the sword suddenly shot into her grasp, she raised it in between the both of them with it’s point facing downwards before letting the grip go “A Spellblade is two things, sorcerer and swordsman. The sword will not accept a mage as it’s wielder unless the mage can defeat the sword. This is sorcerer versus sword.” The sword remained floating in place as she spoke.
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Author: Defend yourselves >Very Happy [https://forum.royalroadl.com/images/smilies/biggrin.png]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytQ5CYE1VZw
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Celica stepped back “In this plane created by the Avatar’s power you will never grow weary and resources of mana lay in abundance but your body can die and if it does you will lose and fail. Are you ready?”
Kyle nodded but before he could speak the sword unmanned flew towards him, it’s edge cleanly cut off his right ear as he evaded to the side and turned around to face it. He grimaced at the pain of having his ear chopped off but remained concentrated on the sword as it spun around immediately and flew back at him again.
He surged to the side as the blade lunged at his chest, evaded backwards as it slashed down at him, rolled to the side as it shot at his leg and summoned a torrent of Frostfire as right after to throw it off it’s chase.
The blade cut thru his flames like paper cleaving them open and revealing him behind them, in a moment it took aim and lunged back at him as a cold aura formed around it’s tip. The blade aimed for his gut as it shot forward like an bolt.
Kyle leaned back and turned around as it flew right beside him, he moved to grab it’s hilt but the weapon was too fast and spun around as it flew turning it’s blade towards him. The sword spun and changed it’s course as like a boomerang it flew around Kyle and towards his neck. Kyle leaned back further before surging back and slamming his back to the floor while the sword harmlessly cleaved empty air above him.
The weapon stopped a few steps away as Kyle quickly picked himself up from the ground while catching his breath, a sliver of blood leaking through his lips from the empowered fall. The sword hovered in place aiming it’s tip at him as the aura grew to engulf it’s entirety, a blizzard of white frost shaping the blade.
Kyle smirked as he stared at the sword, moving his right hand to wipe away the blood from his chin he kept his eyes on it the entire time.
The blade gave him no more room as it flew at him faster than before, a white streak of cold as it stabbed right over his shoulder. Without stopping a single moment the blade spun around in a whirlwind diving in for slashes and stabs as he Kyle evaded from side to side while bending his body to it’s limits to evade.
Yet he wasn’t fast enough, the sword caused him to bleed from should to knee as it cut skin and flesh on more than half it’s attacks. It was simply too fast, too agile and quick for him to fully evade whilst giving him no room to breathe at all.
Suddenly as it went in for an upwards slash from the front which Kyle mostly dodged at the cost of another cut on his chest the sword immediately stopped above him while pointing downwards before stabbing down into his shoulder.
Kyle screamed in agony as the blade cut right through skin, flesh and bone as it entered his arm before quickly pulling itself out and spinning on the spot to cut his neck. Kyle surged away evading a fatal attack as his left arm lay limply by his side, blood flooded down from his shoulder as it’s inside burned from the stabbed flash, torn muscles and shattered bone.
Unfortunately he hadn’t lost feeling in his arm, it only went half numb leaving most of the pain to still register as he stood wide eyed while holding his shoulder. Kyle did not dare take his eyes off the sword as it immediately spun around and lunged towards him yet again.
The sword seemed slightly slower than before as the aura surrounding it grew to twice it’s size and spun around more fiercely. Like a comet it flew at Kyle aiming for his upper chest, the very air around Kyle grew colder as it quickly made half it’s way to him.
Kyle grimaced as he stared at the sword’s aura of frost, it was moving too fast and his surge would not recharge in time. He couldn’t evade yet he also could not take a direct hit, he was about to die from the very blade that was once wielded by his most hated being.
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The very thought of the Nogitsune flared a cold hatred deep within Kyle as the air grew even colder to the point of creating frost. Frostfire engulfed Kyle as his eyes shone a bright blue, he continued to glare hatred at the sword as it’s movements seemed to slow down to a turtle’s pace.
Not wasting a moment of the ability Kyle rushed forwards as the seconds passed by, stepping to the left he then quickly flung his injured arm into the blade’s path as he reached out into the aura for the grip with his right.
Time sped up back to normal as the blade tore through Kyle’s left arm barely slowing down, not enough for him to grab it’s grip with his right yet he was ready for that too. The sword had indeed still slowed down somewhat and it was enough.
Kyle solely surged his right hand forwards and grabbed hold of the blade’s grip as it pulled him with itself, Frostfire raged around his right arm as it pushed away the blade’s own blizzard like aura. He held his feet to the ground as the sword pulled him with continuing it’s path forwards with increasing speed.
With his right arm stretched out ahead he pulled at the sword as it carried him forwards, his left arm had disintegrated into half an arm ending in a frostbitten stump. Kyle pulled at the sword’s hilt while pushing at the ground as it continued to carry him forwards, he felt as if it would soon pull his right arm out from his shoulder.
He further pushed his Frostfire to cover the sword as it now took over the whole hilt and some of the blade, slowly the sword’s aura was being overtaken. Yet the sword didn’t let up as it’s flight path curved upwards carrying him with, it flew straight up taking Kyle along.
It further increased it’s speed causing the ground to disappear from sight as they both flew straight up at a speed that made it difficult for Kyle to hold on. He felt his arm stretch out to it’s limits, he could feel his bones shudder as the muscles stretched and pulled.
Yet he didn’t let go, he held on for the ride as he focused solely on that and pushing his Frostfire further as the further he covered it the more he thought it was slowing down. The sword didn’t let up either has he felt it’s aura pushing back on his flames, it did not want to be tamed.
Kyle began to feel a numbness in his arm as he held on, the feeling slowly disappearing from it as his grip began to loosen. At this his Frostfire began to let up giving the sword’s aura room to grow back, reaching back down to the hilt it also regained more speed.
Kyle knew it wasn’t much longer, his grip would falter and he would let go, it wouldn’t be much longer. So instead of withstanding longer, instead of continuing to hold on until either he let go from the numbness or lost his arm he pulled and pulled using the remainder of his strength.
Slowly he pulled himself up closer to the sword when suddenly the feeling in his arm disappeared entirely as he felt something tear up inside. At that moment, at that miniscule instant Kyle surged upwards and opened his jaw wide.
Kyle bit down on the sword’s grip as his fangs grew out longer, he groaned in pain at the agony in his left arm and the severe numbness in his right but held on as he regained focus on flowing out Frostfire around the sword.
He reached out to his surroundings pulling in every little bit of Spirit he could sense as quickly as he could before it moved out of reach, taking it all in he made it his own before releasing it upon the sword as Frostfire.
Kyle’s body began to break apart as skin cracked and dissipated to dust before revealing the flesh beneath that also began to go through the same process. Yet Kyle did not let go, he did not stop biting down nor did he stop absorbing the energy that he dished it out just as quickly as he absorbed it.
He flowed the new Frostfire around the current creating an inferno of white-blue that kept the sword’s aura entirely at bay, adding more and more for as long as he had skin remaining. Then he pushed it forth, when he no longer felt the aura pushing back, when his Frostfire had become an unmovable wall to the sword’s power he sent it further engulfing the blade in it’s entirety leaving none of it’s aura remaining.
Kyle pulled the now motionless sword down with his jaws still biting down on it’s grip, he turned his neck to look downwards as he continued to fly upwards retaining his directional force. Instead of letting himself slow down he surged downwards changing his direction while retaining his current momentum and more.
With speed similar to what he had as he rose Kyle descended down towards the white and before long he saw the ground nearing closer. Moments before hitting the floor he surged forwards changing direction yet again while gravity continued to act upon him letting his feet touch the pavement.
Kyle stumbled and tumbled forwards like a limp body rolling down a steep hill, blood splattered behind him as he flew for a dozen moments before coming to a stop. Skinned, one armed and with wide eyes Kyle lay on the bloodied floor still holding onto the sword within his jaw, his body overly sensitive from being skinless the agony he felt now was on par to nothing he had ever felt.
Celica immediately appeared by him waving her right palm over his body as it seemed to instantly heal “Foolish boy, do you not know when to give up!?” her expression was surprised and afraid as she kneeled down next to him.
Kyle allowed himself to open his mouth letting the sword fall out, his saliva still wrapped around the grip “Give up?” he repeated while staring up at her with wide eyes before laughing “How? Why? No matter what I have to do, no matter what I have to go through and no matter what I have to defeat I won’t give up. I need power Celica and power I will gain.” he declared while pulling himself up into sitting.
“That way of thinking will get you killed dumbass!” Celica exclaimed as she rose back up to stand with arms open wide.
Kyle chuckled “I won’t die, not before I destroy that creature, not before I stop Scythe and not before I keep my promise.”
Celica sighed “Even if it means becoming the monster you hate?”
“I won’t become it either.” Kyle spoke casually as if knowing that as a fact, with a grin he glanced up at her while picking up the sword with his newly healed right hand.
“That is foolish, power isn’t gained for free. It will be painful and difficult.” She responded while shaking her head.
“No matter how difficult it is I will surpass it.” Kyle replied as he stared down at the sword’s bluish blade “And let it be painful, no matter how much agony I must deal with it will never fucking compare to what that thing did to me.” The blade’s surface suddenly lit up a white-blue blaze that flowed alongside the blade’s edge.
Celica stared down at him solemnly “It is yours now, you must rename it.”
“Name it huh?” Kyle mused as he stood up while holding the sword ahead of himself, he gave it a few swings and watched as the Frostfire sliced through the air like a blade in of itself. He felt the blade resonate with his Spirit, it yearned for more and he fed it so whilst watching as it greedily devoured it.
He smiled in amusement as if watching an attention whoring pet “Devouring Frost.” Kyle spoke the name and felt the blade reach out to his soul, like a second heart beating alongside his own. The thumping grew louder by the second before it was all he could hear only for it to disappear a few moments later.
“The blade is one with you now.” Said Celica before moving on to explain as Kyle gave the sword a few more swings entering stances and forms that were passed onto him from the sword itself “It will enhance your technique, empower your physical capabilities and sharpen your senses. The sword is not your weapon and you are not it’s master, remember this well Kyle and never forget. Spellblades aren’t soldiers, Spellblades aren’t warriors nor mages. Spellblades are living weapons.”
Kyle stopped himself before moving on to more quick sword techniques as the sword continued to flow them into his mind “I understand.” Kyle replied as he stared down at the sword’s blazing blade “Weapons are made for two things, to protect and to take. Spellblades are purely made to take.”
He fully understood the class he had chosen, the sword made sure of that by showing him the moves available to him. These techniques took no regard of his surroundings, no care for who stood around him as anything and everything would be caught in the crossfire and Kyle did not care (“When I fight that monster again…I’ll do it alone…”) he promised himself.
As he thought such a hatred grew within him empowering himself and increasing his Spirit, the sword greedily absorbed that hatred expanding it’s flame further. Kyle stared down at the fire in a daze when Celica suddenly laid her hand on his shoulder “Control yourself boy, hatred will only worsen your situation.” She told him solemnly.
Kyle sighed as he dissipated the sword “Yeah…It’s easier said than done.”
“True yet you won’t fall below that difficulty will you?” she asked him with a raised brow.
“No I won’t.” responded Kyle as he shook his head with a smirk.
Celica grinned “Then let us continue. You have completed your initiation to Spellblade but another classification requires to be attended to.” She slapped Kyle’s shoulder and stepped to stand in front of him “It is time to master your main class.”
Kyle stared at her for a few moments before it became awkward “So…what?”
She looked back at him in the same confusion he was currently in “What what?”
“Uh…No scenery change?” Kyle asked as he gestured at his surroundings.
“I actually quite like the white room setting.” Celica replied with a shrug.
“Setting?” Kyle asked with a raised brow.
“Oh yes there is a whole menu with settings for the guide to choose through including a guide for the guide!” Celica exclaimed with a chuckle.
“Huh…Okay anyway…” Kyle restrained himself from cringing “What now? How do I master my class?”
“Hmm…Well class mastery requires the user to know the base history behind the class…Is there anything on slimes here…Lord of…Lord of…” Celica mumbled as she went through her menus invisible to Kyle, with arms crossed over each other and her right hand over her chin “Ah! Lord of Slime mastery!” she suddenly exclaimed before silently reading through.
“So?...” Kyle grew impatient as he waited for Celica.
“Oh we’ll get there just give me a few…This is…” Her expression changed from interested, confused to wide eyed surprised as she read through her window “The hell…”.
“Auntie…I don’t have all eternity here?” said Kyle with an impatient tone “Mind sharing?”
“Sure…but you’re not going to like this either…” she replied with a worried expression.